The Struggle Between Privacy and Visibility, How Social Media Is Reshaping the Identity of Sa‘idi Girls

By Menna Allah Kamel Moharram

Women’s issues within Sa‘idi communities are no longer limited to lack of education or early marriage. The picture today is more intricate. A new generation of girls finds itself at a crossroads shaped by social media, caught between a cultural heritage that protects their image and voice from public circulation, and a rising desire to express themselves and engage in a vast digital world full of opportunities and visibility.

Sa‘idi Communities and Social Media in Numbers

According to the 2023 report of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), internet use in rural Egypt surpassed 65 percent, while governorates traditionally associated with Sa‘idi culture recorded about 58 percent.

These figures show that Sa‘idi girls have become an important part of the digital audience, especially on Facebook and TikTok. Still, social researchers note that their participation in visual content remains far lower than that of young men, reflecting the endurance of cultural values linking a girl’s public appearance to notions of honor and privacy.

Between Identity and Visibility

Sa‘idi upbringing instills in girls the belief that their image and voice are extensions of their reputation. A field study by Dr. Sahar Mohamed Wahbi of Sohag University titled “Distinguished Sa‘idi Women’s Attitudes Toward Their Image in the Media” documented that women in these communities strictly control any public appearance to preserve family dignity and social respect.

This longstanding cautious relationship with media became more pronounced with the arrival of social platforms that demand a direct presence almost impossible to avoid.

With the digital boom, visibility is no longer a luxury but a means of expression and sometimes a source of income. This creates tension between maintaining cultural identity and opening up to a limitless audience.

Inspiring Models from Sa‘idi Communities

Despite their caution, several women managed to combine privacy with participation.

In Minya, a young woman launched an accessories business on Instagram using only product photos, eventually reaching thousands of customers. In Assiut, a woman became an influencer in traditional Sa‘idi cooking, offering live sessions on Facebook and gaining more than 200,000 followers.

These examples quietly signaled to their peers that participation is possible without abandoning privacy.

The Other Side, A Deepening Crisis

The less bright side is also present. Some girls posted more personal content and found themselves facing waves of bullying and criticism that reached their homes before reaching their screens.

One young woman from Qena told Al-Masry Al-Youm she stopped sharing her singing videos after receiving harsh comments from relatives and strangers alike. Such experiences have made many girls more hesitant, prompting the painful question, is openness a gain or a social loss?

An Internal Struggle Before a Social One

Researchers argue that the tension experienced by Sa‘idi girls is not just societal rejection, but an internal struggle between belonging to a conservative cultural environment and the desire for a digital presence that places them in the spotlight.

Many impose stricter self-censorship on themselves than their families do, fearing misunderstanding or misinterpretation. This explains their limited participation despite high user numbers.

The Future, A New Formula?

Social media has been neither a full gateway to liberation nor a pure instrument of restriction. It is a space that forces girls to ask a new question, how can digital participation be shaped in a way that preserves privacy without excluding them from expression?

Local initiatives have begun offering partial answers, from digital safety awareness pages to campaigns encouraging women to run online businesses without personal appearance.

Conclusion

The Sa‘idi girl is not seeking a rupture with her traditions, nor surrender to restrictions that erase her presence. She seeks a middle space, broad enough for her voice and image without threatening her identity. That space is not yet fully formed, but it remains the clearest challenge facing an entire generation of Sa‘idi women in the age of social media.

Menna Allah Kamel Moharram holds a BA in Media Studies. She is an Egyptian writer interested in women’s issues in Sa‘idi communities, writing from a social perspective that reflects their cultural specificity. She aspires to craft a voice that bridges local identity with the questions of the modern age.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely the author’s and do not represent the views of Nisaba Media.